I recently reviewed the HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5, but have a tough time justifying the $700 price when you can find great devices for half the price. One new contender was revealed that has specifications even greater than these two flagship devices. The OnePlus One will launch in May using an invite-only system.

CNET had a chance to get some hands-on time with this $299 Android smartphone and I recommend you take a look at their image gallery. The OnePlus One looks similar to the Nexus 5, but has even more impressive internal specifications.

The device runs CyanogenMod 11S, which is based on Android 4.4 and looks a lot like a stock Android device. It will be available for $299 for a 16GB white model and just $50 more ($349) for a whopping 64GB black model. I am glad I waited to buy a new phone as this may be my next Android.

The first 100 OnePlus Ones will be available through the OnePlus Phone Smash, starting April 25th. OnePlus fans can go to oneplus.net/smash to apply to smash their current phone in exchange for a OnePlus One. 100 lucky applicants will get the very first 100 OnePlus Ones for just $1 as well as the ability to invite their friends to buy the OnePlus One.

I have a lot of phones available in my collection and I would be willing to smash a couple to get a chance to pick one up so I signed up to enter this Phone Smash lottery. Given the phone is so inexpensive, make sure you can't just sell your existing phone and buy one before you go smashing an iPhone 5S or something.

Matthew Miller started using a mobile devices in 1997 and has been writing news, reviews, and opinion pieces ever since. He is a co-host with GigaOM's Kevin Tofel on the MobileTechRoundup podcast and an author of three Wiley Companion series books. Matthew started using mobile devices with a US Robotics Pilot 1000 and has owned over 200 d...
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Disclosure

Matthew is a professional naval architect by day and a mobile gadgeteer at all other times. He purchases his own devices and then sells them on eBay or Swappa to buy more. Many other devices are sent for review on a 30-day loaner basis and then returned to the carrier or manufacturer. If any are provided as &#8220;long term loaner units&#8221 this will be clearly disclosed in his reviews.